Kevan Staples, co-founder of the iconic 1970s alternative rock band Rough Trade from Toronto, passed away on Sunday at the age of 74. His death was confirmed through a social media post by fellow co-founder Carole Pope, who expressed, “He was a bright light that will burn forever,” on Instagram. The specific cause of his passing has not been disclosed.
Staples was instrumental in writing some of the band’s most popular songs, including “High School Confidential,” “Birds of a Feather,” and “All Touch.” In 1983, Rough Trade had the honor of opening for David Bowie during his Serious Moonlight tour. The band was known for their provocative themes, addressing topics such as lesbianism and bondage in tracks like “Lie Back, Let Me Do Everything” and “Dyke by Default.” Reflecting on their impact, Staples remarked to CBC years later, “We had a strong gay following, we had a strong arts community following. There was an audience for what we were doing, and that was apparent.”
Kevan Staples, a co-founder of the iconic 1970s alternative rock band Rough Trade from Toronto, passed away on Sunday at the age of 74. He was photographed in 2023.
The announcement of his passing was made via a social media post by Carole Pope, a co-founder of the band. She expressed on Instagram, “He was a bright light that will burn forever.” The two were photographed together in 2023.
Rough Trade began their journey by performing in intimate venues across Toronto.
Their debut album, Rough Trade Live!, was self-released.
In the 1980s, they produced five additional studio albums in collaboration with Bernie Finklestein’s Canadian label, True North.
Their popularity surged with hit songs such as “Weapons,” “Shaking the Foundations,” and “Crimes of Passion,” which received significant radio play.
They experienced some of their largest audiences while opening for David Bowie during the Canadian leg of his 1983 Serious Moonlight tour.
In 1986, the band disbanded due to fatigue from being pigeonholed as a group focused solely on themes of sexuality.
“While we did write about sexuality, we also addressed political issues, but that aspect didn’t resonate as much with audiences here,” Pope remarked to the Canadian Press in 1994.
